Books by Gary Graybill

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Coast Guard Shoots Out Boat's Engines

A Coast Guard air crew shot out the engines of a suspected drug boat off the coast of San Diego, disabling the vessel.

Three Coast Guard boats and a helicopter crew intercepted the boat crew, which was carrying more than 7,100 pounds of marijuana. The incident began when a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft detected the 30-foot fishing boat in international waters. The Coast Guard cutters Active and Edisto and another 45-foot response boat crew from Station San Diego responded and pursued the suspected vessel. Air crews from Active fired warning shots when the smuggling suspects refused to stop. They ended the pursuit with direct fire to the boat's outboard engine, disabling the suspected vessel. "All our crews, especially those of the cutter Active and the Helicopter Interceptor Tactical Squadron, should be proud of their accomplishments," said Capt. Michael Eagle, 11th Coast Guard District Chief of Response. "In a little more than a week, Active has been involved in stopping two major shipments of illegal drugs. The Coast Guard aviators and interceptor boat crews who tracked down, warned, and then shot out the engines of the fleeing pangas (fishing boats) in these two cases used their law enforcement training, tools, and techniques to safely apprehend five suspected smugglers and stop the delivery of more than six tons of marijuana," he said. The 74 bales of marijuana, three suspects and boat from Tuesday’s interception were taken to San Diego and turned over to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

It was the second time this month that Coast Guard and partner agencies have thwarted a major marijuana smuggling operation in the area. This month, Coast Guard units near San Diego have intercepted more than 13,000 pounds of marijuana, five smugglers and two fishing boats.